Chapter 6

ANGELICA POV

Joshua and I had our first monthsary but he doesn't text or call me. I contacted his number but out of coverage area. I'm worried. I thought that there's something happened to him. Doesn't he know this day? I was nervous and restless here in my room. I called his number again, it can't really reach. I typed a message to him just in case he could read. "Happy First Monthsary to the two of us. I hope you're ok. I love you." I send it to Joshua.

After 1 hour, no one responded. I called again, still can't be reached. I called Mary Grace.

"Best friend where are you?" I asked as if i'm about to cry.

"I'm still here at my boarding house bhes. Why?" she asked.

"Do you have any news about Joshua?" I asked.

"He was sick. I'll go to his apartment later. He needs a companion. Do you want to go with me? I know you're worried," she said.

"I will come with you so let's just meet in school," I said.

"Just come here and tell your brother that we will finish some projects. You won't be suspicious because I'm with you." she said.

"Ok bhes, get ready so that when I arrive we can leave immediately." I said.

"Excited?" Mary Grace said.

"No, I am just worried. Is it bad?" I answered.

He just laughed on the other line. I grabbed first my bag and wallet and left my room. I looked for brother Ronald.

"Please forgive me because I will lie again." I whispered to myself.

My brother Ronald took me to Grace's boarding house, but he was not yet convinced that we would actually do the project. So he talked to Mary Grace. It is good that Grace was good at sneaking so he convinced my brother. Brother Ronald frowned as he left. It's like he don't really believe that we're really going to do a project. After a few minutes, Mary Grace and I went out to her boarding house and rode a tricycle. We arrived quickly because she was near to where Joshua lived. After we got off I gave our fare and thanked the tricycle driver.

"Go ahead bhes i will just buy medicine and food for Joshua." Mary Grace said.

I nodded and headed on Joshua's apartment. As I entered, I heard music soaring inside the house and petals were scattered on my way to Joshua's room.

Some things we don't talk about Rather do without

and just hold the smile

Falling in and out of love

Ashamed and proud of,

together all the while

My tears started to fall while Joshua was holding a flower and smiling waiting at the door of his room.

You can never say never

While we don't know when

But time and time again

Younger now than we were before Don't let me go

Don't let me go

Don't let me go

Don't let me go

Don't let me go

Don't let me go

My heart is heavy with the lyrics of the song. I feel like we will face a severe test and he was asking me not to let him go. I slowly walked towards him.

Picture, you're the queen of everything

Far as the eye can see under your command

I will be your guardian when all is crumbling

I'll steady your hand

You can never say never

While we don't know when

But time, time and time again

Younger now than we were before

Don't let me go

Don't let me go

Don't let me go

Don't let me go

Don't let me go

Don't let me go

We're pulling apart and coming

Together again and again

We're growing apart, but we pull it together

Pull it together, together again

Don't let me go

Don't let me go

Don't let me go

"Happy First Monthsary My Love. I hope that we will be together forever. I will pray to God that he will always give us strength to fight all problems, hardships, pain, loneliness and every thing that we may encounter once your family will know about our relationship. I Love You so much and always take care of yourself. And please, promise me that you never give up on me." his tears also dripped as he handed me the flower he was holding. I hugged him while crying with joy. He laughed but obviously strained and he also tightened his hug on me.

"Happy 1st monthsary too my love. I love you more. I will do everything to be with you forever. If we ever separate, we will meet again until the right time comes. We will find each other and grow old together." I said. He kissed my forehead. He looked into my eyes full of love. I couldn't understand why he was crying.

"I'm sorry if I bothered you. This is the only way I can think of to make you happy today. I want to surprise you. I know we can't go outside so I just did it here," he said while holding my hands. He led me to the bedroom and sat me down. He picked up his phone and opened it.

"Can we take a picture? Promise I won't post on facebook." he said.

He put his arm around me and we took a selfie. We hugged, we kissed on the lips, forehead, and hand. There was also a solo and duet with our cheeks touching. I was so happy. "You should have told me about this so that I could somehow make myself better. It is like we are dating." I said while smiling at him.

"You don't have to do that because you are already beautiful. You are beautiful in and out," he said with a smile on his lips. He picked up a rectangle box on his study table. He opened it and I saw the couple necklace with a heart pendant. He separated it so the heart split. "Always wear this necklace from me. You will always remember that my heart will not be whole without you. One day, we will give it to our firstborn who will be the fruit of our love." he said.

He put a necklace around my neck with a half heart and then kissed my nape. It was like electricity flowing through my body. He hugged me from behind and placed his chin on my shoulder. I turned to him and placed the other necklace with a half heart around his neck. He slowly brought his face closer to mine until our lips met. We closed our eyes together and felt our love for each other. I opened my eyes and saw the tears dripping from his eyes.

We just stopped kissing when there is someone nocking on the front door of Joshua's apartment. He hugged me first and said, "Always remember that I love you so much no matter what happened to us, you will still remain in my heart and I have no one else to love," then he stood up to open the furious knocker. Before he turned around he hugged me tightly and kissed my forehead. I wondered at Joshua's actions. Even in the content of his word.

"Ronald?" I heard Joshua say.

I was nervous so I immediately got up and left the room. Brother Ronald punched Joshua in the face.

"You idiot! What did you do to my sister, huh? Aren't you thinking about your future kid?" my brother said while punching Joshua. I ran to stop him but he didn't stop.

"I'm going to ruin your life you idiot!" my brother shouted while still beating Joshua.

Joshua didn't even fight back. He just let my brother throw him and beat him somewhere. He doesn't care where his fist hit. I cried and hugged my brother's waist to stop him because I felt sorry for Joshua's appearance.

That's enough brother, you might kill him. I'm going to stay away from him, just don't kill him. I'm sorry because I disobeyed you."I said while my tears kept flowing.

He looked at me with angry eyes. He slapped me hard causing me to sink into the floor. He approached me again and slapped me on the other side. He pointed me and said, "I'll put him in jail and you have nothing more to do for him. I told you before but you didn't listen," my brother said angrily.

He rushed back to the prostrate Joshua and kicked him.

"Brother, please stop. If you kill him, I won't forgive you. If he will die , I will kill myself too and that will be carried to your conscience for the rest of your life." I shouted at brother Ronald.

He attended to me and grabbed my arm tightly and dragged me out of Joshua's apartment. I turned to Joshua and I could see the blood flowing from his mouth. His lip cracked and his face cracked but he still managed to lift his face and look at me.

"I'm Sorry, I love you so much." I mouthed at him.

I know his heart heard my whisper and his eyes understood what I said because I saw in his eyes the tears of pain and sadness falling as he shook his head as if he was saying, "Don't stay away from me."

I even saw him trying to stand up until we were finally out of his apartment. I want to help him, I want to take him to the hospital and take care of him. But I can't get rid of brother Ronald. He gripped me tightly to get into his car. He threw me inside and slammed the door of his car. I burst into tears for the fear of his anger. He drive faster and faster as if he want to make his car fly. When we got home he dragged me back into the house and threw me on the sofa. I sank down and my face stumbled on the edge of the sofa. He was about to slap me again when my mother shouted.

"Ronald! What are you doing to your sister?" mom shouted at him as she went down the stairs.

"I caught your your daughter in her boyfriend's apartment and it looks like they did something bad," he said. "Is that true Angelica?" mom asked. "We're not doing anything wrong. Even if you check me up with the doctor." I replied to my mother while still crying.

"So, what are you doing in a man's apartment? Are you not ashamed of yourself?" mother asked angrily.

It's our first monthsary today and I'm worried because I can't contact Joshua so I took Mary Grace with me to go to her apartment but I didn't think he had prepared something for this day so brother Ronald saw a lot of petals of flowers inside Joshua's apartment. Joshua loves me and he respects me so he can't do what brother Ronald think. I'm sorry if I disobeyed you, I won't do it again. "I said to my mother.

Mom gave me a couple of slap and furiously pointed at my forehead. "You disobeyed our order. You not only disobeyed Angelica but you also lied. You've been fooling us for a month?" she asked and even pinched my right ear. I cried in tears not because they hurt me but because I was worried about Joshua because we just left him bruised by my brother. Mama left for a while and came back with a bag of legumes. She laid it down in front of me and made me kneel to the legumes.

Kneel here all day until you can think right and not to disobey us, " my mother said to me.

I just obeyed her even though I knew that legumes would hit my knee and I knew i was hurt. They left me alone in the living room while i am still crying. I regret of being her daughter. If I could just choose a mother, I already did but I can't so I can not help but to endure this and be strong. One day I will be free.

My feet are numb. My knee hurts too. My eyelids are also heavy because of the tears. All my brothers came home and no one even spoke to me. No one even said, "That's enough, stand up because your knee is already sore." They just look at me and then smile. I want to die. Will they be able to cry over my coffin just in case? Maybe they just smile like they do now. I even thought that maybe I wasn't their sister. Maybe I was just adopted so this is how they treat me. My chest hurts and I feel dizzy. Gradually I weakened and my vision darkened. I saw nothing else because my eyes had closed and I was slowly drowning. But before I completely lost consciousness I heard my father's voice. He picked me up while calling my name and he carry me up.